There’s a reason the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival was included in USA Today’s 10Best Awards for best wine festival last year. HFWF takes the wine part of its name serious, and each year holds three exclusive wine seminars.
Festival wine program director Warren Shon has just finalized this year’s schedule, putting the spotlight on French wines and the always timely topic of pairing wines with Asian food. The seminars are held back to back at Halekulani on Saturday, Oct. 27, starting at 9 a.m.
“We are very excited about the all-star lineup of winemakers and proprietors this year, as we welcome many new estates to the festival,” says Shon. “Our goal is to continue to showcase world-class wines and iconic producers that complement the world-class food and chefs, and this year is particularly exciting. Included for the very first time will be four amazing producers from Burgundy, France, and three standout producers from Germany!”
The seminars are limited to 50 people and offer once-in-a-lifetime wine tastings.
SOMM: The Gang of Four
Oct 27 • 9:00–10:15am • $125
Halekulani, Honolulu
Sommeliers tend to be passionate, knowledgeable, and…opinionated, with wines receiving wildly different receptions. But there are some wines that are universally loved—enter the wines from “The Gang of Four.” These are the wines that signify “I’m a wine guy” when ordered, and get the sommelier all hot and bothered.
The Gang of Four are, arguably, the four greatest wine producers in Beaujolais (the zone at the tail end of Burgundy, where the treasured pinot noir grapes from the Côte d’Or turn to gamay noir). The wines they produce, particularly in the town of Villié-Morgon, are absolutely delicious and irresistible in their youth, and with age they develop a personality all their own and not unlike, the pinot-like wines from their illustrious neighbors.
It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have three of these extraordinary wine producers at the festival to virtually walk seminar participants through their vineyards, while sipping on multiple vintages of their prized wines. HFWF is honored to welcome Jean and Agnès Foillard, Charly Thévenet, and Mathieu Lapierre to the shores of Waikiki.
Winemakers
Antoine & Nicholas Robert, from Domaine Robert Denogent: One of Burgundy's elite chardonnay producers.
Jean & Agnes Foillard from Domaine Jean Foillard: Their wines from Villié-Morgon are exhilarating and highly sought after.
Charly Thévenet from Domaine Jean-Paul Thévenet: Their old vine cuvées are phenomenal.
Mathieu Lapierre from Domaine Marcel Lapierre: Some of Burgundy's most delicious and aromatic red wines
BURGUNDY: Through the glass of Domaine Robert-Denogent
Oct 27 • 10:30am–12:00pm • $125
Halekulani, Honolulu
While there is no denying the world’s finest chardonnays are produced in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, many of the most respected wine critics and aficionados agree there is one domaine in the Mâconnais producing chardonnays that are equally compelling and worth seeking out. These are the wines of Domaine Robert-Denogent.
These Pouilly-Fuissés are of a much different class. Their reflection of terroir, wonderful richness, and impressive complexity, are often compared to the finest wines of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. Yet, at an extraordinary value.
This exhilarating tasting of world-class chardonnays is led by Antoine and Nicholas Robert from Domaine Robert-Denogent, and the festival’s esteemed panel of master sommeliers. Participants will witness firsthand the greatness of these wines, as they enjoy multiple vintages of each of the winery’s extraordinary cuvées. From the 85-year-old Monopole Vineyard of “Les Reisses,” to the 92-year-old limestone vineyard of “Les Carrons,” to their flagship “Cuvée Claude Denogent.”
The Art of Food and Wine Pairing: A match made in Germany
Oct 27 • 12:30–2:00pm • $150
Halekulani, Honolulu
Chef Masaharu Morimoto has created a bridge between the culinary traditions of his native Japan and the American palate. His seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients has resulted in a signature style that positions him as one of today’s foremost chefs. Matching wine with his cuisine can be challenging, with the complex Asian flavors often wreaking havoc on many of today’s more popular white and red wines.
Many wine experts will tell you the best wines to pair with these inspired foods are those produced from aromatic white wine varietals with moderate levels of alcohol, softer tannins, crisp-tangy and lively acidity, and a touch of residual sugar. We are talking about the quintessential white wines of Germany, whose penetrating flavors can cut through and balance these dishes.
This seminar is an opportunity to learn from three of Germany’s greatest wine producers—Andrea Wirsching, Hans Wirsching, Franken; Johannes Hasselbach, Weingut Gunderloch, Rheinhessen; Johannes Haart, Reinhold Haart, Mosel. They join chef Morimoto in an interactive seminar that will challenge, excite, and awaken the senses. Chef Morimoto will create specialty dishes to be accompanied by a dozen wines from our esteemed winemakers.
Winemakers
Johannes Hasselbach from Weingut Gunderloch in the Rheinhessen
Johannes Haart from Weingut Reinhold Haart in the Mosel
Andrea Wirsching from Weingut Hans Wirsching in the Franken
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